After nearly half a season of North Carolina high school football action, conference play has arrived in Week 5.
The first four weeks of the 2026 season have delivered plenty of excitement across the Wilmington area, and no local team remains undefeated.
Week 5 wastes no time raising the stakes. Several matchups could immediately shake up the Carolina Coast Conference race, including New Hanover hosting North Brunswick.
Here are four bold predictions for Week 5 of the 2026 North Carolina high school football season for Wilmington-area teams.
North Brunswick finally defeats New Hanover
Since joining the same conference as New Hanover in 2017, North Brunswick is 0-8 against the Wildcats.
But four weeks into the 2026
season, the Scorpions (3-1) may have their best opportunity yet to end that streak when they travel to Wilmington in Week 5.
Fresh off a Week 4 loss to St. Pauls, North Brunswick will look to rediscover the defensive form that helped fuel its strong start. The Scorpions allowed fewer than five points per game through their first three contests.
New Hanover (1-3), meanwhile, has endured a turbulent start. The Wildcats are averaging just 14 points per game and were shut out by Northside in Week 4.
Playing at home gives New Hanover an edge, and history remains firmly on the Wildcats' side. But North Brunswick has been the stronger team through four weeks and appears poised to finally break through in this series.
Laney keeps West Brunswick at bay
Laney may have just earned its first win of the 2026 season in Week 4, but the Buccaneers (1-2) are capable of much more than their record suggests.
Laney's offense finally came alive in a thrilling 45-42 walk-off win over South Central.
West Brunswick enters Week 5 with a much different outlook.
The Trojans have suffered three consecutive losses by three points or fewer, including a heartbreaking 22-21 overtime defeat against South Columbus in Week 4.
West Brunswick has proven it can battle with anyone, but Laney appears to have found something offensively after an uneven start to the season.
Topsail ends losing streak to Ashley
One of the area's more intriguing Week 5 matchups takes place in Hampstead as Topsail (1-3) hosts Ashley (2-2).
The Pirates have lost three straight against their neighbors to the south and are 7-8 in the rivalry since 2011.
Topsail opened the season with a strong win over Dixon before dropping its next three games. But the Pirates have faced a brutal stretch, with those three opponents combining for a 9-1 record this fall.
Ashley followed a similar path to start 2026, rallying for two come-from-behind wins before dropping its last two games.
Without its top running back, Topsail faces a real challenge at home in Week 5. But after three straight losses, the Pirates need a win to steady their season and avoid slipping further below .500.
Expect a gritty, back-and-forth rivalry game that could come down to whichever team has the ball last.
Trask starts win streak
Trask (1-3) finally broke through in Week 4, picking up its first win of the 2026 season with a convincing 23-6 victory over West Bladen.
The Titans will look to build on that momentum in Week 5 against Lumberton (0-3) in a matchup between two teams still searching for consistency early this fall.
After showing its best form of the season last week, Trask has an opportunity to turn one victory into some much-needed momentum.
Expect another competitive matchup, but look for the Titans to pull away late and secure their first winning streak of 2026.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Can North Brunswick finally beat New Hanover? 4 bold Week 5 predictions
